Be Your Own Best Advocate Ryan Clarke Friday, September 18, 2015

What is Advocacy?

Why is Advocacy Important? Key decision makers react to those credible groups or individuals who most effectively bring their issues to the forefront of the public agenda (or shape the agenda itself) Governments have competing interests and concerns (including their own priorities) If you don’t engage, someone else will You have the power to affect change around your issues

Different Kinds of Advocacy Personal vs. issue-based Personal – presenting issues to key decision- makers that are having a specific impact on you or your loved ones – tend to be narrowly focused Issue-based – presenting issues to key decision-makers on behalf of a larger group of affected people – tend to be broadly applicable

Two Cornerstones of Effective Advocacy The ability to prepare and share your personal story Building and sustaining impeccable relationships with key decision-makers

Process for Developing an Effective Advocacy Strategy Key message development Development of your tools Development of your one ‘ask’

Key Message Development Identification… –Requires that you be able to take an array of information and distill it down to its simplest form –Requires that you separate fact from fiction –When advocating on behalf of a group, consensus on the issues is required

Key Message Development Framing… –Develop 3 key messages that explain the salient points of your issues in simple language –Each key message should be 25 words or less –Must always be clear, compelling, concise and consistent –Practice presenting your 3 key messages to someone who has no knowledge of your issues

A Model For Developing Key Messages 1.What is the problem? 2.What is the impact of the problem? 3.What would it look like if we solved/didn’t solve the problem?

Advocacy Tools The means of delivering the messages… As a process, three steps must be followed regardless of the tool being utilized to get to advocacy stage: ®

Advocacy Tools Web site Newsletter In person meeting Telephone call Voice mail information Letter/fax/ Direct mail campaign Advocacy Day

Advocacy Tools Brochure Fact sheet News release Newspaper/periodical article/op editorial/PSA/advertorial Published book Information session E- advocacy Social networking tools

Your One ‘Ask’ The objective or goal of the strategy… ONE – because you are going to ask for what you need, not a list of what you want Requires one to make choices and potentially reach a consensus (just as it does when developing your 3 key messages) Sometimes opportunities will present themselves that will make the ‘ask’ very timely

Your Role To advocate for yourself (i.e. for access to current treatments, new treatments) To advocate for the SSC/provincial organizations (i.e. new treatments, other issues) It is critical that you (and your caregivers) know how and when to advocate on your behalf So whether it’s advocating to your physician about your personal care or your provincial member of parliament about a broader health care issue affecting you and others in your community, the need to engage is important

Advocacy Solutions ® Contact Information: Ryan Clarke, LL.B. t f